Paschal greeting

Easter custom

This article is about the greeting. For the troparion, see Paschal troparion.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his crucifixion at Calvary. Part of a series on the

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The inscription "Christ is Risen" in various languages (from top to bottom): in Ossetian (Iron and Digor dialects), Latin, Vietnamese, French and Russian. Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, Russia

The Paschal greeting, also known as the Easter Acclamation or Easter Day Greeting, is an Easter custom among many Christian churches, including Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran,[1] Methodist,[2] Presbyterian,[3] and Congregational.[4]

One offers the greeting "Christ is risen!" and the response is "Indeed He is Risen!" or "He is risen indeed!" with many variants in English and other languages (compare Matthew 27:64, Matthew 28:6–7, Mark 16:6, Luke 24:6, Luke 24:34).[5][6]

## Theories on origin

[edit]

Credits for the origin of the greeting vary. However, the phrase "Christ is risen" is likely a shortened piece from Matthew 28:5-6, "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."[7]

There are two competing theories for the source of the response, "He is risen indeed." The first follows the tradition, not mentioned in the Bible, of Mary Magdalene bringing an egg to Emperor Tiberius. She then greeted the emperor with the words, "Christ is risen."[8] Others believe that the response comes from the Gospel of Luke 24:33-34 "There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'"[9] Regardless of the initial source, the phrase has become part of the Christian tradition. The greeting is used by many to celebrate the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter morning.[10]

## Examples

[edit]

It is used among members of some Christian denominations when meeting one another during Eastertide; some even text or answer their phones with the phrase.

### Eastern Orthodox

[edit]

The greeting and reply are:

Christ is Risen! - Truly He is Risen!

* In the original language, Greek: Χριστός ἀνέστη! – Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!, romanized: Khristós anésti! – Alethós anésti![11]
* In the most widely-used language, Church Slavonic: Хрїсто́съ воскре́се! - Вои́стинꙋ воскре́се!, romanized: Khristósŭ voskrése! – Voístinu voskrése![12]

A list in 57 languages is found at the website of the Orthodox Church in America.[13]

In some cultures, such as in Russia and Serbia, it is also customary to exchange a triple kiss of peace on alternating cheeks after the greeting.[14]

### Catholic

[edit]

In the Latin Church, the traditional greeting on Easter morning and throughout the Easter Octave is: Christus surréxit! - Surréxit vere, allelúja (“Christ is risen!” - “He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”). This ancient phrase is similar to the Greek one, and echoes the greeting of the angel to Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, as they arrived at the sepulchre to anoint the body of Jesus: "He is not here; for he has risen, as he said" (Matthew 28:6). [5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Carson, Emily (23 Apr 2022). "'He is risen' is a greeting for the ages". Rochester Post Bulletin. Post Bulletin and Forum Communications Company. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
2. ^ "Easter Day Greeting". United Methodist Church Discipleship Ministries. United Methodist Church. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
3. ^ Hardwick, Rev. Dr. Chip. "Worship Resource 2020" (PDF). psusa.org. Presbyterian Church (USA). Retrieved 9 April 2023.
4. ^ "The Art and Practice of the Congregational Church". naccc.org. The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
5. ^ a b Kovacs, Judith L. (2005). 1 Corinthians: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 10\. ISBN 9780802825773.
6. ^ W.H. Withrow, M.A., D.D., F.R.S.C. (1904). Methodist Magazine and Review. 59: 550. `{{cite journal}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. ^ Matthew 28
8. ^ Filz, Gretchen. "The Story of Mary Magdalene and the First Easter Egg". catholiccompany.com. The Catholic Company. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
9. ^ Luke 24:33–34
10. ^ Riggleman, Heather. "'He is Risen Indeed' - Meaning and Easter Origin". crosswalk.com. Salem Media Group. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
11. ^ "ΠΑΣΧΑ". ΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΣΤΑΡΙΟΝ. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
12. ^ "Пасхальная Заутреня" (PDF). Цветная Триодь. Моско́вскій патріарха́тъ. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
13. ^ "Paschal Greetings from Around the World". Orthodoxy. Orthodox Church in America. 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
14. ^ "The Origin and Meaning of the Paschal Greeting". Feasts. The Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist. Archived from the original on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2020-07-30.

## External links

[edit]

* The Origin and Meaning of the Paschal Greeting, Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Washington, DC.

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Easter and its cycle

Lent|

| Pre-Lent|

* Septuagesima
* Sexagesima
* Quinquagesima

Carnival (Shrovetide)|

* Shrove Monday
* Shrove Tuesday
* Mardi Gras
* Holy Face of Jesus
* Fastelavn
* Maslenitsa

Lent proper|

* Ash Wednesday
* Great Lent
* Temptation of Christ
* First Sunday of Lent
* Ember days
* Laetare Sunday (Mothering Sunday)

Passiontide|

* Passion Sunday (Lenten veil, Lenten shrouds)
* Friday of Sorrows

Music|

* Ave Regina caelorum
* Passion (music)
* Passion hymns
* Stabat Mater

Holy Week|

| Palm Sunday|

* Triumphal entry into Jerusalem

|

Ferias|

* Holy Monday
* Holy Tuesday
* Holy Wednesday

Triduum|

* Tenebrae

Maundy Thursday|

* Chrism Mass
* Last Supper
* Crotalus
* Art
* Farewell Discourse
* Mass of the Lord's Supper
* Foot washing
* Stripping of the Altar

Good Friday|

* Passion of Jesus
* Arma Christi
* Stations of the Cross
* Crucifixion of Jesus
* Descent from the Cross
* Lamentation
* Epitaphios
* Encomia
* Pietà
* Burial of Jesus
* Tomb of Jesus
* Easter Sepulchre
* Good Friday prayer
* for the Jews
* Gorzkie żale

Holy Saturday|

* Harrowing of Hell
* Święconka

Easter Vigil|

* Paschal candle
* Holy Fire
* Lumen Christi
* Exsultet
* Artos
* Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

Traditions|

* Burning of Judas
* Processions

By location|

* Colombia
* Popayán
* Guatemala
* Italy
* Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto
* Ruvo di Puglia
* Malta
* Mexico
* Taxco
* Philippines
* Portugal
* Braga
* Spain
* Cuenca
* Málaga
* Salamanca
* San Cristóbal de La Laguna
* Santa Cruz de La Palma
* Seville
* Valladolid
* Viveiro
* Zamora

Easter|

| Day|

* Resurrection of Jesus
* Art
* Myrrhbearers
* Road to Emmaus
* Paschal Homily
* Sunrise service

Date|

* List of dates
* Calculation

Season|

| Liturgical features|

* Alleluia
* Pentecostarion
* Trikirion

|

Octave|

| Bright Week|

* Easter Sunday
* Easter Monday
* Śmigus-dyngus
* Easter whip
* Easter Tuesday
* Wednesday
* Thursday
* Friday
* Saturday

|

* Second Sunday of Easter
* Doubting Thomas
* Divine Mercy Sunday

* Radonitsa
* Third Sunday of Easter
* Fourth Sunday of Easter
* Mid-Pentecost
* Fifth Sunday of Easter
* Rogation days

Ascensiontide|

* Ascension of Jesus
* Art
* Feast of the Ascension
* Cenacle
* Novena
* Matthias the Apostle

Traditions|

* Basket
* Bonnet
* Bunny
* Bilby
* Easter seals
* Food
* Greeting
* Parade
* Pace Egg play
* Postcard
* Rouketopolemos
* Saitopolemos
* Scoppio del carro

Easter eggs|

* Dance
* Decorating
* in Slavic culture
* Rolling
* Hunt
* Osterbrunnen
* Tapping
* Tree
* Tossing

By country|

* Croatia
* Poland
* Ukraine

By country|

* Ethiopia and Eritrea
* Italy
* Latvia
* Poland

Pre-Christian|

* Ēostre

Music|

* Easter Oratorio
* I Will Mention the Loving-kindnesses
* Russian Easter Festival Overture
* Salzburg Easter Festival

Liturgical|

* Regina caeli
* Troparion
* Victimae paschali laudes

Cantatas|

* Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden, BWV 6
* Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4
* Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158
* Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret, BWV 31
* Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß, BWV 134
* Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen, BWV 66
* Ich lebe, mein Herze, zu deinem Ergötzen, BWV 145

Hymns|

* Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
* Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
* O filii et filiae
* The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done

Choral music|

* Surrexit a mortuis

Film and TV|

* Films
* Television episodes

Pentecost|

| Season|

| Octave|

* Pentecost Sunday
* Whitsun
* Whit Monday
* Whit Tuesday
* Ember days
* Feast of Christ the Priest
* Trinity Sunday

|

* Feast of Corpus Christi
* Feast of the Sacred Heart

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